Airborne 08.18.17

Company Aiming For Certification In 2017

By Anthony Liberatore

A new hybrid magneto was unveiled at AirVenture on Tuesday at the EAA Press Center. Electroair's President Mike Kobylik introduced Electroair's program that is developing a hybrid magneto the RC4000 Series which is designed to replace the Bendix Dual Magneto, single drive Magnetos for four applications.

Kobylik noted that a large number of Cessna Cardinal and 172 owners are looking for an alternative to their dual mag single drive system as their aircraft age, and that in the future a 6 cylinder version of this system is scheduled to be developed as well. Kobylik began the presentation explaining the company's desire to build their own magneto and noted: "This is not your Daddy's Magneto." While still in the development stage, Kobylik noted their goal is to have a flying unit at the end of this fall, and certification occurring approximately a year from now.

Kobylik pointed out a number of characteristics that make this magneto so unique. First, it has no impulse coupling or points. Like a traditional magneto, it generates its own internal voltage for ignition, but the Electroair unit will have reserve capacity which can be used as a backup generator.

How the magneto eliminates the impulse coupling for ease of starting is both old school and clever by utilizing a vacuum advance. This vacuum advance is mechanical in it's nature (vs, using electronics for timing advance), and allows for 0 degree BTDC timing for ease of starting. Once running, the voltage from the magneto charges a coil near plug unit for each spark plug. This individual coil is also a waste spark coil which also fires during the exhaust stroke. Kobylik (pictured) noted on the waste spark: "You give a cleaning spark to the cylinder that is on the exhaust, exhaust valves are open but their is no pressure in the cylinder you hit the spark plug with high energy if their is any carbon or lead built up from the previous power stroke it's is burnt off when it goes out the exhaust."